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LOYALIST COMMISSIONERS. 393
III, chap 80,) " appointing commissioners to enquire into the losses and services
of all such persons who have suffered in their rights, properties and professions, during the late unhappy dissensions in America, in consequence of
their loyalty to his majesty and attachment to the British government." The
commissioners named were John Wilmot, Daniel Parker Coke, Colonel Robert
Kingston, Colonel Thomas Dundas and John Marsh. They were empowered
and required to examine all persons whom they should think fit on oath, to
,send for books, papers and records, and report their proceedings to the lords
commissioners of his majesty's treasury. The Act was to continue in force
for two years, but the time for receiving claims was limited to the 25th of
March, 1784. They entered upon their duties early in September by advertising claimants to file their claims, and by sending agents to the United
States to investigate each particular claim. The number of claims presented
within the time limited was 2,063 for property, real and personal, to the
amount of £7,046,278, and for debts to the amount of £2,354,135. Owing to
the large number of applications of persons who flocked over to Great Britain
from the United States in 1783 and 1784, especially after the evacuation of
Charleston and New York, the commissioners made slow progress in the
examination and liquidation of the claims. The commissioners made their
first report on the 12th of August, 1784, and on the 23d of December following, they presented their second. The Act of 1783 being about to expire, and
the work remaining unfinished, the Act was renewed in July, 1785, with some
amendments. Mr. Coke having resigned, Jeremy Pemberton and Robert
Mackenzie were appointed commissioners. The new Act was continued in
force for one year, and the time for receiving claims was extended under
certain conditions to the 1st of May, 1786. This Act was again continued in 1786 and 1787, with little or no variation, but not without
frequent applications to the minister, and petitions to his majesty and
to parliament from the agents of the American loyalists. The commissioners proceeded with their investigation in 1786 and 1787, both in Great
Britain, Nova Scotia and America; and having made several intermediate
reports, they presented the eleventh report of their proceedings in April,
1788. In the meanwhile, various motions and debates took place in the
House of Commons on these subjects, particularly on that of final compensation; but this did not formally take place till 1788. On the 6th of June, of
that year, Mr. Pitt opened the discussion in an eloquent speech, by proposing
a plan in the British House of Commons, for the final adjustment and compensation of their losses. Mr. Pitt in this speech laid down the principle that
however strong the claims of the American loyalists might be on the generosity of the British nation, the compensation intended could not be considered as matter of right and strict justice; in the mode, therefore, he had
pursued, he marked the principle in the various quotas of compensation he
should propose to be made to the various classes of the American loyalists.
He divided them into the following classes:
| Title | History of Maryland - 2 |
| Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
| Publisher | J. B. Piet |
| Place of Publication | Baltimore |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000430 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | LOYALIST COMMISSIONERS. 393 III, chap 80,) " appointing commissioners to enquire into the losses and services of all such persons who have suffered in their rights, properties and professions, during the late unhappy dissensions in America, in consequence of their loyalty to his majesty and attachment to the British government." The commissioners named were John Wilmot, Daniel Parker Coke, Colonel Robert Kingston, Colonel Thomas Dundas and John Marsh. They were empowered and required to examine all persons whom they should think fit on oath, to ,send for books, papers and records, and report their proceedings to the lords commissioners of his majesty's treasury. The Act was to continue in force for two years, but the time for receiving claims was limited to the 25th of March, 1784. They entered upon their duties early in September by advertising claimants to file their claims, and by sending agents to the United States to investigate each particular claim. The number of claims presented within the time limited was 2,063 for property, real and personal, to the amount of £7,046,278, and for debts to the amount of £2,354,135. Owing to the large number of applications of persons who flocked over to Great Britain from the United States in 1783 and 1784, especially after the evacuation of Charleston and New York, the commissioners made slow progress in the examination and liquidation of the claims. The commissioners made their first report on the 12th of August, 1784, and on the 23d of December following, they presented their second. The Act of 1783 being about to expire, and the work remaining unfinished, the Act was renewed in July, 1785, with some amendments. Mr. Coke having resigned, Jeremy Pemberton and Robert Mackenzie were appointed commissioners. The new Act was continued in force for one year, and the time for receiving claims was extended under certain conditions to the 1st of May, 1786. This Act was again continued in 1786 and 1787, with little or no variation, but not without frequent applications to the minister, and petitions to his majesty and to parliament from the agents of the American loyalists. The commissioners proceeded with their investigation in 1786 and 1787, both in Great Britain, Nova Scotia and America; and having made several intermediate reports, they presented the eleventh report of their proceedings in April, 1788. In the meanwhile, various motions and debates took place in the House of Commons on these subjects, particularly on that of final compensation; but this did not formally take place till 1788. On the 6th of June, of that year, Mr. Pitt opened the discussion in an eloquent speech, by proposing a plan in the British House of Commons, for the final adjustment and compensation of their losses. Mr. Pitt in this speech laid down the principle that however strong the claims of the American loyalists might be on the generosity of the British nation, the compensation intended could not be considered as matter of right and strict justice; in the mode, therefore, he had pursued, he marked the principle in the various quotas of compensation he should propose to be made to the various classes of the American loyalists. He divided them into the following classes: |
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